The Lithuanian label NoBusiness Records has done a fantastic job in saving the history of free jazz: Videos, Photos

I think it could be interesting for our readers to occasionally take a look at articles, interviews and reviews that come from the web.

In our Facebook space we have been offering links of this type for a long time, but for some time now, at least for the articles that I consider most interesting, I have been doing a job of translation and proposition hoping to meet the interest of our readers.

Today it is the turn of this news that concerns some juicy discographic news, unreleased from a hot and fruitful period, by a Lithuanian record label (!). The article comes from the blog of Fabricio Vieira, a Brazilian journalist and critic.

The Lithuanian label NoBusiness Records has done a fantastic job in saving the history of free jazz, publishing unreleased recordings from decades ago that help us open bridges and fill the gaps in this universe.

Following the unmissable edition of albums dedicated to the archive of saxophonist Sam Rivers (1923-2011), NoBusiness has launched a new series, highlighting the recordings made in the legendary RivBea loft. The legendary space that Rivers maintained at 24 Bond Street, in Lower Manhattan, New York, in the 1970s, left its official testimony of some of what happened there, collected in 5 LPs under the title “Wildflowers: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions”, which included recordings made during an independent festival held between May 14 and 23, 1976, with music by many of the strongest names in creative music of the time.

The new series, Live From Studio Rivbea , released on CD and digital, aims to bring unknown records made in the loft of Sam and Beatrice Rivers.

Volume 1 contains a recording of the quartet of saxophonist Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre; Volume 2 , just released, contains a recording of the quartet of fellow saxophonist Arthur Blythe. As close as these artists were, circulating in the same scene, their stories are completely opposite.

Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre (1936-2013) hailed from Chicago. Connected with the AACM from its early days, he participated in seminal recordings, such as “Levels and Degrees of Light”, by Muhal Richard Abrams, and “Sound”, by Roscoe Mitchell.

In 1969 he recorded his debut album, the remarkable Humility In The Light Of Creator . In the following decade he went to New York, like many of his AACM partners, and there he began his career. The loft era was probably his most intense period of work.

But few of his albums survive from that period. In this way, this release helps fill in the gaps in his journey, bringing a little more of his intense music to light. Here we see McIntyre, playing tenor sax and clarinet, accompanied by Malachi Thompson (trumpet), Milton Suggs (electric bass, who was in Elvin Jones’ band at the time) and Alvin Fielder (drums).

There are three long tracks with unidentified names, ranging from 13 to 16 minutes, recorded at Studio Rivbea on July 12, 1975 – a year before “Wildflowers,” on which McIntyre would appear with another group. The core of this song is the dialogues between sax and trumpet – Thompson, who died in 2006, had the most important career among the musicians of this quartet, appearing on a variety of albums, moving between post-bop and free.

McIntyre, from the 80s onwards, will find it increasingly difficult to make and record his music, which will lead him to play in the streets and in subway stations to survive, dying in poverty in the Bronx in 2013. This quartet, had it remained together, could have established itself as one of the strongest sounds of the era.

Arthur Blythe (1940-2017). From the same generation as Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Blythe had an illustrious history. Coming from Los Angeles, he also arrived in New York during the loft era and made a name for himself especially in the second half of the 70s.

This was recorded in 1997 on an album called Trio Fascination with Joe Lovano (soprano) Dave Holland (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums)

In 1979 he signed with Columbia, a label to which he would be linked for about a decade, publishing almost ten albums in which he opened up to contemporary jazz without losing his creativity. Although he did not become a jazz star, Blythe had a fair amount of success (he also played in Brazil in 2003, at the Chivas Jazz Festival). This new album that arrives is a relevant testimony to the beginning of Blythe’s career, who had not yet debuted on record as a leader.

Here he leads a quartet with Juini Booth (bass), Muhammad Abdullah (congas) and Steve Reid (drums). Recorded on July 6, 1976, this was a few weeks after the “Wildflowers” ​​sessions – which Blythe did not participate in. With only his alto sax, Blythe shows he is ready to start marking out his space, with surprising themes spread across four tracks, ranging from 5 to 19 minutes.

This recording features popular Blythe songs that would appear on future albums, such as “Miss Nancy” and “Spirits in the Field.” A treasure trove for Blythe fans. Now we just have to wait and see what else NoBusiness Records brings to this vital new series.